


Half-Dead, Fully Alive

by Tarlan



Category: Riddick (2013), The Chronicles of Riddick Series
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, M/M, Post-Movie(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 10:34:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8368993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: Becoming reconnected with his animal side - his Furyan side - opened his eyes to what Riddick truly wanted. Transcendence for both him and Vaako, and a chance to feel fully alive.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for **trope_bingo** Round 7: mind control

On his return to the Necromonger fleet, wanting vengeance for being left for dead on the not_Furya world, he was disconcerted to discover Vaako had not been part of the plot to kill him after all. Riddick knew Krone had no reason to lie. The man was a fanatic, believing he had done what he felt was best for his religion. Krone had seen Riddick as an imposter sitting on the Necromonger throne, and its true heir - Vaako - too honorable a Necromonger to kill him and claim the right for himself. Yet having spent almost a year blaming Vaako, using his desire for vengeance to keep him going even through the excruciating pain of healing broken bones, Riddick was unwilling to let go of his rage until he had confronted Vaako. He wanted to look into his eyes and read the truth.

Despite Krone's official report of his death, Riddick was unsettled to learn Vaako had waited so long to become the new Lord Marshal - and a Holy Half-Dead like Zhylaw. He thought Vaako would have seized the opportunity before Riddick's body was cold in its lonely grave. Krone's concubine was convinced Vaako had crossed into Underverse and would be on his way back by now. No doubt Vaako had expected to find him on the other side of the threshold, killed in due time and waiting for him with all the others who had converted and died in the campaign even though, technically, Riddick had never converted to their religion. It was going to be a strange reunion as Riddick knew there had never been an incident like this before in Necromonger history. By their laws he was still the Lord Marshal, for death had a far different meaning to them, but could there be two Lord Marshals in this 'verse, or would one of them have to be promoted to full dead?

He waited in the great hall, rattling those present when he sat down on the throne as if he owned it. Hell, he did own it. The only one who tried to stop him was now hanging from one of those spikes on the column to his right, no longer wriggling like a fish on a bait hook. It reminded him of Kyra for a moment, fueling the anger raging within him.

Always with him. She had wormed her way into his head, into his heart along with the Imam. Family.

No one spoke, not even a murmur, all of them looking to others for an answer to this dilemma and eventually deciding there was only one Necromonger who could give it: Vaako.

The murmur rising was the indicator Riddick needed, announcing Vaako's return, and he waited as the Necromongers parted reverently like a black oil sea slicking apart. The sudden twist in Riddick's gut as he saw Vaako for the first time in almost a year made him tense.

"Interesting," he murmured, finally recognizing the source of his rage against Vaako.

It answered questions he'd refused to face while detached from his animal side, from the Furyan side. It explained why he had taken Vaako's treachery so hard, and if Riddick's instincts were correct, he wasn't alone in his desire. Through fresh eyes he saw all their interactions from that first meeting on Helion Prime to the last moment when the door sealed behind him on the ship that was supposed to take him to Furya. Vaako was the reason why even four concubines in his bed had been unsatisfying, but now he had let loose the Furyan, he knew why he had wanted to go balls-deep into Dahl - a surrogate for another who seemed unobtainable.

Vaako moved towards him, ghosting along as if his soul had to fight to keep up with his physical body. He stopped in front of the throne and anyone but Riddick would see only death in his dark eyes. This time he would not bow down to Riddick, but only Riddick understood why he made no move to attack either.

"Keep what you kill," Vaako murmured, climbing a few more steps until he was at eye level with Riddick.

The cryptic words could be taken at face value as a challenge issued, but Vaako's words had always held deeper meanings. His goal had always been transcendence, to rise above the physical pain and misery of this 'verse, but Riddick could sense he was only halfway there. Half-dead. Half-alive. Riddick knew that feeling well. From the moment of his birth, left for dead with the cord wrapped around his neck, he'd been caught in that same state between life and death, wandering aimlessly, without purpose, without clarity. Without transcendence.

Dame Vaako glided up behind her husband, her victorious smile curving her lips, and Riddick felt a fleeting moment of pity for her as she had yet to realize what she had lost this day. She tried to place her hand on Vaako's arm only for it to spirit away from her touch, leaving her slightly perplexed.

"Krone?" Vaako asked.

"Too many words. Got what he deserved."

"And Furya?"

"Not Furya." Riddick saw Vaako's eyebrows knit together slightly. So Krone must have doctored the ship's logs too, to hide his betrayal of both him and Vaako. "Found what I needed anyway," he added before looking pointedly towards the Purification chambers lining the Necropolis.

Kyra has said it had hurt at first, and then the pain faded, taking away all the rest both physical and mental. Before, Riddick had seen it as some kind of mind control, making the Necromongers subservient, stripping away their hopes and dreams and replacing them with nothing but a desire to die in due time in some belief they'd be free in the next life. In Underverse. Perhaps that was the case for the vast majority of the converted but Riddick was a different kind of animal, like Vaako. He didn't fear pain for it had been his companion for too many years. What he feared was the loss of pain stripping away what little remained of him; feared he would be promoted to full dead even if his body still lived, when what he truly wanted was to feel fully alive for the first time.

He wanted transcendence... for both of them.

Riddick stood as Vaako took the remaining steps up to the throne. This time he would not put a shiv to Vaako's throat. Instead he recalled his words to Dahl, that she'd ask him all pretty-like. They'd be no pretty words between him and Vaako. He'd slide balls-deep into the Half-Dead Necromonger and once he'd slaked his lust, Vaako would take him in turn, from now till Underverse come, and each time would be transcendent. Riddick reached out, grabbing the pitted armor breastplate and tugging Vaako forward as he met him halfway, lips solid and bruising as they crushed against each other, ignoring Dame Vaako's in-drawn breath as she finally realized her loss.

When they finally pulled back, Riddick grinned because he knew there was no Necromonger law stating there could be only one Lord Marshal, so they could make up their own law.

"We're gonna need a bigger throne," he stated, eyes flicking to the metal monstrosity that could fit only one heavily armored man.

Vaako smiled as they turned to face the Necromongers, standing side-by-side as the Seventh and Eight Regime merged into one.

END  
 


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